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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. stand — to bear
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. fall — to drop
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. pass — a permit
  14. sharp — clever
  15. object — a thing
  16. object — to protest
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. fall — to drop
  21. object — an aim
  22. fall — the season
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. arm — part of the body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com